Portraits of an Illusionist
by sinceyoulovedme
Summary: Ariadne uses her newfound knowledge of dreams to live out her most secret fantasies, while Arthur watches her from the shadows he develops feelings he can't ignore. AriadnexArthur, read and review pretty please! xx Scarlet
1. Behind Glass Curtains

AN: Hi everybody! This idea came to me unexpectedly this afternoon and here it is. If you'd like to hear more, please let me know via review or response or anything because if it's no good there's no use in continuing is there? I'm relatively new to the site so ANY type of review/response is really appreciated, I'm open to constructive criticism. Oh, and of course, Inception is in no way owned by me, I'm just Scarlet and I must say, I am in love with this couple. Thanks for reading xx

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She opens her eyes. She's on the open sea, leaning over the edge of a sailboat. The navy blue water laps against the side of the boat, she breathes in the salty air and looks upwards towards the clear blue sky. She leans over the edge of the boat and dips her hand in the water. It leaves a pool of light silvery liquid in her hands. She closes her eyes.

They're open again. She's sitting on a ledge, high above a bustling city. Ancient cathedrals and stone clock towers and paved stone streets lay out in a labyrinth below her. Her feet are bare; she's wearing a bright blue silk dress that's ruffling in the light breeze. Her eyes draw closed.

She sighs and slowly opens her eyes once more, revealing a dimly lit room. There's smoke in the air, velvet curtains draped across huge windows. She's sitting in the back, a cabaret singer in a red dress up at front. A heavy rain washes over the windows, she can smell red wine and cigarettes.

And then she's awake. Jolting out of her chair in the warehouse, a cold sweat covering her forehead. She takes a deep breath in, she can see her breath when she exhales but she doesn't mind the cold.

Ariadne had waited until everyone had finished their work before entering her own dream. She kept it a secret, she had always been introverted, but when she was exposed to this entire new world she couldn't help but act on her nagging curiosity.

She used her dreams to live out her fantasies. It was exhilarating. Every time she closed her eyes, she found herself surrounded by something new...something strange...something beautiful. She closed her eyes and lingered in the moment for a second; trying desperately to cling to the euphoria she felt when she was in the dream.

The sounds of footsteps against the stone floor jolted her out of her reverie. She scrambled out of the chair, clutching the side of the desk. If anybody found her here, they'd know she wasn't focusing on the task at hand and she might risk the possibility of losing her job. The thought terrified her.

"Hello?" she called nervously; her voice reverberated off the walls, echoing back to her.

"Ariadne?"

She turned around and came face to face with Arthur. He looked uncharacteristically messy, his hair slightly tousled, a concerned look flashed in his eyes, "What are you doing here? It's three 'o clock in the morning."

_Oh god, _she thought, _he's completely on to me. _Her heart was still racing, her hands jittery.

"I was... I just... I forgot my..." she scanned the desktop for something, anything, "...my jacket!"

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her, "I'll give you a ride home." She nodded and followed him outside; the streets were deserted, the only sounds were the flickering streetlights and two pairs of footsteps across the cement. He led her to a shiny black car, immaculately polished. She smiled to herself. Of course Arthur's car would look like this, he was a perfectionist. He opened the door for her and she slid into the cold leather seat.

As he jammed the keys into the ignition the car grumbled to a start. He peeled out of the lot and they drove in silence. Ariadne pressed her face against the cold glass of the passenger seat window, watching as her breath left a light fog that faded as quickly as it came. _Kind of like a dream, _she thought to herself.

"You can just drop me off at Charleston station," she said quietly, "it's right by my house."

"I'm not leaving you at the train station at this time of night, Ariadne" he responded firmly, "there are all kinds of people out here who could hurt you." She chuckled softly. "I'm serious," he persisted, "just let me take you home."

She sighed and reluctantly gave him her address. They drove along in silence for a few moments more before she shifted in her seat towards him.

"Why were you in the warehouse so late?"

He stared straight ahead on to the street, but she noticed the faintest of smiles creep on to his face,

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Ariadne couldn't quite tell if he was just teasing her, but there was something in the back of her mind that told her not to question him. It didn't matter anyways, they were at her house. She thanked him for the ride and hurried towards her front door. She noticed his car was waiting until she was inside.

From inside his shiny black car, Arthur watched Ariadne as she fumbled with the key, shivering. He wished he could walk her to the door, wrap his jacket around her shoulders, give her a little kiss. She was so naive. A lost jacket, he laughed to himself quietly as the image of her wild-eyed, caught-in-action look came to his mind.

If you look closely enough in the background, you might just discover something incredible. If you look closely at the picture of a girl on a sailboat, dipping her hand into the warm waters of the ocean, you might just see a man on the other side of the water, looking up at her from beneath the turquoise waves. If you take a second glance at a girl swinging her bare foot over a ledge, you might notice the silhouette of this man against the wall, taking in the sight of her profile. Those heart shaped lips, the way her hair cascades down her back.

If she would just take a split second to _really _see things, she would see a man hopelessly infatuated, she would see the silhouette of somebody who had feelings he couldn't ignore.

She would see Arthur.


	2. One Paper Crane

AN: Holy guacamole! Huge thanks to everybody who reviewed and put this story or _ME_ on their alerts! I'm honoured that you took the time out of your day to read my fic Anyways so here I am continuing this, I hope you like it. Once again I'd like to ask you to please met me know how I'm doing, I'm very open to constructive criticism. I thought I'd take a shot at developing Arthur in this Chapter, he's such a mysterious character in the movie (not to mention Joseph Gordon-Levitt? Yummy.) As per usual, every single review is much appreciated and I love you all! xx

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He couldn't sleep. His entire body felt exhausted but his mind felt electric. He had collapsed into his bed and shut his eyes as soon as he got through the door, but images of Ariadne's dreams kept floating back into his mind, as if they were burned on the back of his eyelids. He couldn't stop himself from envisioning the way her pretty, pale hand dipped into the silvery ocean, or the way the pallid blue moonlight hit her face when she was perched on that ledge, her legs crossed at the ankles.

It was a mystery to even himself how suddenly his feelings had hit him. Over the years, he had had girlfriends who he thought he had strong feelings for, but deep in the back of his mind it felt like he was only with them because he was supposed to be. It always felt like they were obligated to be with him, and he was always looking for something more, something beyond what was possible.

But Ariadne fascinated him. His reluctance to recruit her to the team had been short-lived, for as soon as Cobb introduced them an unfamiliar curiosity overcame him. Who was this pretty young girl, with a paisley scarf tied around her neck and big bright eyes that looked up at him so helplessly? He had to will himself to keep walking when he saw her bent over the machinery that night at the warehouse, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. He'd considered asking, but had refrained for fear that she would see him and he would have to, you know, talk to her.

But he couldn't stop himself. He was only five paces out of the building before he turned back and ran into her work station. His heart pounding, he had entered her dreams quietly, not able to control his interest in what exactly Ariadne was up to.

And so he had watched, nothing more, nothing less, just watched. Without a word he had simply watched as she began to realize what she could create with a dream. He kind of liked being the whisper in the wind that made her turn around and look, the shadow on the wall that was there one moment and gone the next.

He turned over in his bed and opened his eyes. They had adjusted to the darkness of his room, and he fixed his eyes on the bands of moonlight that peeked through his blinds onto the wall. He wondered how she perceived him. Did she see him as shy and sensitive? Driven and hard working? Painfully uptight and anxious? He hoped it wasn't the latter, he had noticed her smiling and laughing along with Eames whenever he poked fun at Arthur for this clean shaven appearance and immaculately organized workspace.

He hadn't always been like that, however. Growing up, his life was completely consumed by his Father's alcoholism. Arthur's Dad had often locked himself away in his office, claiming to be doing business but really taking shot after shot of his expensive, imported Scotch. His own Father had transformed before his eyes, transitioning from a wealthy, powerful businessman to a struggling addict who tried hopelessly to keep it together. He felt a deep, passionate hatred when he thought of how his Father had put him, and his family in serious jeopardy.

The disappointment and resent he felt when he thought of his father always brought on a strange sensation in Arthur. He hadn't spoken to him since he left home, at only age eighteen. He didn't want to speak to him, he didn't need to, but it was his Father's addiction that drove him to succeed. Of course he was wealthy, an heir to a multimillion dollar fortune, but seeing his Dad like that had made him vow to never, _ever _let that happen to the people he loved.

And so he had studied hard, went to the most renowned educational facilities the world had to offer. He was smart, cultured, one could almost go so far as to say he was a genius. When Dom had approached him about extraction years ago, he had jumped at the chance. Now_ he _was the addicted one, constantly chasing the high of the subconscious.

He sighed, exasperated, as a few weak rays of sunlight managed their way through the blinds. He hadn't gotten any sleep. He was still in his clothes from last night, except by now his black trousers and navy blue pinstriped dress shirt were wrinkled beyond belief and spotted with dust. He coughed as he sat up and removed his dishevelled tie from around his neck. Blinking slowly, he stumbled out of bed and into his study.

He sat down before his burgundy wood desk and on impulse took out a fresh piece of stationary from a pile to his right. His hands began to work steadily, suddenly, grabbing the paper and folding and folding until before him lay a perfect paper crane.

He studied the crane for a few seconds, turning it over and over in his hands. He remembered something he had learned in Japan when he had studied there. If you make one thousand paper cranes, you get a wish. One wish.

For a split second he contemplated taking it to the warehouse, giving it to Ariadne.

And just like that, his hands were ripping the paper crane to shreds.


	3. Snow and Silence

AN: I couldn't resist...this one might be little bit longer than the other two chapters but I kind of needed this to really transition into the ascent of action! I'd just like to say quickly that I'm beyond flattered that all of you are reviewing so kindly, you have me grinning ear to ear from behind my computer screen with every alert and favourite and review. Also, thanks to the people who have helped me out with learning how to work this crazy amazing website. Like always, every single review is so so so so SO appreciated and you're all just _spectacular_! xx Scarlet

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The snow was already falling heavily by the time Ariadne got to the workhouse the next morning. A few flakes first, so pure and clean in the late-afternoon sky, and then wind-driven swirls that rattled the windowpanes and sent a frigid chill through the entire building.

She was working meticulously on a detailed sketch of one of the main buildings they would be using for the dream. She was hunched over the paper, carefully drawing out every line. The only sounds were her pencil scratching across the page, the wheels of her office chair scratching against the stone floor. It wasn't until nearly four 'o clock that she was interrupted by a quick knock on the door.

Looking up abruptly from her work, she was pleased to see Arthur standing there, looking nervous.

"Come in, I don't bite" she laughed, "What's going on?"

Arthur looked tired. He had dark shadows under his eyes, and his tie was hanging crooked. He had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows, exposing his pale, skinny forearms. _He must be cold..._she thought to herself.

"Cobb needs some jumper cables from the store house, I was, uh..." his eyes lingered for a moment on the scale model she had begun to build, "...just wondering if you needed anything." She paused for a moment before nodding.

"I could use a bigger protractor, the one I have is crap!" He laughed uneasily, "...and maybe some more paper...oh right, and my book..." she sighed, "...can I just come with you?"

He nodded happily, "You might want to bring your jacket, it's snowing pretty hard." Ariadne cast a glance at her coat, which had haphazardly been thrown over the edge of her chair when she first arrived.

"It's just a few minutes' drive isn't it?"

"I suppose so."

She realized almost immediately after getting into Arthur's car that not bringing a jacket was a terrible idea. The soft leather seats felt freezing against her body. He noticed Arthur had worn his leather jacket, and even a pair of Armani leather gloves with his initials embossed on the cuff.

The storehouse was a place about ten minutes away from where they worked. It was small, with a wooden floor and corrugated metal siding. It had a sliding door that looked similar to Ariadne's parent's garage, paint peeling off everywhere and thousands of little chips in the woodwork.

"If you'll just wait in the car for a moment, I'll open the door and you can run in and grab your things."

She watched as he padded out into the snow, punching in the password on a keypad and waiting as the door slid open, sticking in some places.

By the time she had located everything she needed, he was already waiting for her in the car. She noticed he didn't have the keys in the ignition. He motioned at her from inside to wait just a second, and she noticed his frustration as he jammed the keys in the ignition. The car sputtered before dying out.

He opened the door to the car and gave her a nervous smile.

"I'm sorry, you look freezing. The car won't start. Let's go inside and I'll call Cobb." She laughed lightly as her teeth chattered. God, she was cold.

Once inside, Arthur pulled his phone out of his back pocket and speed-dialled Dom.

"Dom, it's me...yes, yes I got them...no, it's just the car won't start...I've tried multiple times, Dom, it's not going to start...could you just send Eames...oh...yes, I understand perfectly well what you're trying to say...very well then... yes...okay, please call me when you can." He turned to her slowly, meeting her eyes briefly before looking down at his shoes. "Eames has left and Dom's planning on dreaming, they said the storm is about to get worse so we have to wait here until they can send a car."

"Okay."

Arthur closed the door and fumbled for the dusty string attached to the light. He pulled it and the room instantly came into focus, a pale yellow shadow falling over everything. Ariadne was sitting against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest. Her teeth were chattering, her shoulders shuddering.

"Aren't you cold?"

She looked at him from across the room, chuckling.

"You think?"

"Come over here, you can take my jacket."

She got up off the floor and walked over to where he was standing, the wooden floor creaking with every step. He shed his jacket and helped her into it. He laughed at how big it was on her.

"Sit with me for a little while."

And so she did. They sat down beside each other and for a long while the only sound you could hear was the wind howling outside, rattling the siding of the cabin.

"Were you scared the first time you experienced a dream?" she asked suddenly.

Arthur paused for a moment, opening his mouth to say something and then closing it again.

"No," he answered honestly, "the first time I entered a dream was the most alive I have ever felt. It was reality and emotion and passion all colliding and coursing violently through my veins. Like time had stopped, and yet somehow there was never enough of it. I...It's hard to find the words to describe that kind of feeling...that kind of euphoria."

She sniffled, letting out a long sigh. Inching slowly closer to him, she felt as if everything was moving so slowly, so carefully. Her senses were screaming, and a strange feeling overcame her. The shed fell quiet as Ariadne realized the only sound she could hear was his heartbeat and she loved the way it seemed to fill the entire room. She sat up a bit straighter, tilting her head slightly towards his so that she was looking up at him. From this angle she could count every single one of his long, dark eyelashes. She could see the soft curve of his lips, the strong line of his jawbone.

His body instantly moved closer, it seemed to fit faultlessly with hers. She moved her head back a bit, opening her eyes and looking directly into his. They stayed like this for a long moment before he reached his hand slowly around her neck and wound his fingers into her hair, pulling her towards him forcefully. His lips were on hers like wildfire, the flame had been lit and it burned through every part of him as he gripped her tightly, high off the taste of her kiss.

Ariadne's head spun with emotion, wave after wave of adrenaline hitting her with such force that she felt dizzy. Her heart pounded in her chest as he deepened the kiss, moving to her neck. He planted a delicate line of kisses on her clavicle, causing shivers of anticipation down her spine.

They kissed for a long while before Ariadne fell asleep without a word. Arthur watched her stomach rise and fall, rise and fall, he could feel her cold breath on his arm.

He slowly and carefully got up and walked to the edge of the storehouse, opening the door. He yawned, running a hand through his hair and then delicately touching his lips where she had kissed him. He glanced back at Ariadne, she looked so small. Just a mess of dark hair, a red sweater and a leather jacket, her eyelashes fanned out across her pale cheeks. He took a deep breath and turned back towards the snowy aftermath of the storm, grinning despite himself. He closed his eyes and let out a long, shaky breath.

_Holy shit... _


	4. The Engine Room

AN: You guys are too wonderful to me, I swear. Thank you for all your kind words and suggestions, I think I've finally figured out the site. I think my favourite part is seeing how people from all kinds of places around the world are reading these words! So hello, bonjour, hola! Here's hoping this installment lives up to the other three! xx Scarlet

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She's back in the dream, having finally given in to the overwhelming temptation. She had designed this engine room at home, finally a place where she could give in to her deepest desires instead of hiding from them in reality. It was _beautiful. _Burgundy hardwood floors, impressively high ceilings, walls made of glistening black marble that was so shiny she could see her reflection. Long chrome workbenches, a dusty bookshelf that towered nearly to the top of the room, complete with a moving ladder.

There were small, circular windows all around the room at eye level, each one showing a different picture. One showed a cornfield. Thousands of pale yellow cornstalks against a brilliant azure sky. The next showed a place underwater. There were no fish, but instead thousands of flowers growing out of the bottom, waving gently in the current.

But perhaps her favourite part of the engine room had to be the grand chandelier that hung right in the middle of it. Thousands of crystal pieces jingled together, reflecting bits of light around every part of the room. Wrought iron pieces delicately shaped into an intricate, perfectly symmetrical design.

She had never believed in love, her parents had gotten divorced and in her opinion relationships were messy and somebody always ended up hurt. But kissing Arthur had made her think for the smallest of seconds that maybe she was living a lie.

It was here, she decided, that she would let herself experience the feelings she knew she was hiding from herself.

-x-

The days following the incidence in the storehouse were tough for Arthur, he was struggling to come to terms with the feelings he had for Ariadne. Unfamiliar to him, they stirred up fear and excitement and passion. He realized that all he really wanted was for her to open up and let him in.

She had been sleeping about an hour when Cobb pulled up, rolled down the window and grumbled for Arthur to get in. Not wanting to disturb her, he had carried her to the car. She had woken up briefly in the backseat and hazily given Cobb directions to her house but it was only minutes before they could hear her softly snoring once again.

That had been the last time he saw her. She hadn't shown up the next day for work. Or the day after that. Arthur had arrived eagerly both mornings, envisioning the two of them behind the closed doors of his office kissing for hours, brushing hands accidentally when they passed each other in the halls, sharing the smallest of shy smiles when nobody was looking.

But none of that was possible if she didn't bother showing up. He still held out hope, but after a week went by he began to realize, with a heavy heart, that maybe she wasn't coming back.

It wasn't until he had to stay late doing research that he heard the door creak open and saw a girl with long dark hair and a paisley scarf around her neck tiptoeing into the warehouse. He wanted to call her name, for her to look around and see him sitting there, but he knew to keep quiet. He knew exactly where she was going and as soon as she was there, without hesitation, he followed her.

He was mesmerized by what he saw when he entered her dreams. It was a million different dreams put into one place. Some kind of laboratory... or a garage... but there were no workers, no harsh sounds. In fact the room was nearly silent, but there seemed to be some kind of melody. It was all black, with the exception of a brilliant, vibrant chandelier that hung in the middle. She was standing under that chandelier, her petite frame bathed in the ashen yellow light.

He was too busy staring at her to notice that he was in no way hidden from her sight. She was walking alongside one of the work benches, letting her hand glide across the smooth chrome finishing, her footsteps echoed through the entire room.

He wanted so desperately to run towards her and kiss her under that chandelier, but he stood frozen in place. Even when she began turning around to face him, his feet didn't move an inch.

-x-

She was looking face to face with him. In the engine room. Somebody else was here; somebody else was in her dreams. Her heart pounded in her chest, who was it? He wasn't moving. Could it be Cobb? If so, she might as well kiss her job goodbye... could it be Eames? She shuddered to think what he might be up to at this hour of the night... that only left one possibility.

"Arthur..." she said, so quietly it was almost a whisper. It wasn't an accusation, not a question, simply just _Arthur. _"...what are you doing here?"

He took a step closer, letting the light from the chandelier hit one side of his face.

"I couldn't... I didn't... I..." he trailed off, "it's hard for me to explain, Ariadne."

She didn't say anything, just waited. She watched his eyes travel from the bookshelf and moving ladder, to the chandelier, to the circular windows with their spectacular views of other dreams. He took a sharp inhale of air,

"Why haven't you been here?" he shouted, sounding almost angry but more hurt. She felt her heart jump into her throat. She took a step closer to him.

"You don't know what you do to me, do you? You don't have a clue." She felt her eyes begin to water, "...you have _no idea _what it's like to be me and to look at you."

"No, Ariadne, I do! I do! You don't understand, that's why I'm here. I can't stop myself, I have tried _physically _to stop myself from thinking about you, from reliving our kiss in the storehouse... but I can't. I just, I _can't._"

He took another step towards her, she took one towards him.

"Me too," she admitted quietly, "it... it scares me, Arthur. To feel so much for one person. I'm vulnerable, I just... I can't let myself get hurt."

"Don't think like that!" he shouted, his voice breaking, he opened his mouth to say more but she was running towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him with such enthusiasm that he lifted her up off the ground and held her that way.

As they kissed, small bits of white began to fall from the sky. They broke apart for a moment, each of them looking up. Instead of a roof, they saw a strikingly beautiful night sky. Was it snowing? Ariadne was laughing, her eyes fixated on the small pieces that drifted down gracefully and were beginning to form small piles on the floor.

He held out his hand until he felt a piece drop into it. Holding it under the light of chandelier, he saw that it wasn't snow, but in his hand was a tiny paper crane.


	5. When a Heart Races

AN: Hello again! It's me! I'm so glad all of you liked that last chapter. This one might be a bit mushy, and – ah I don't want to spoil it, but the teensiest bit ...mature. I finally have a solid idea of where the story is going and this chapter is going to be shorter then I'd like but I assure you the ones coming up are more action-packed and not so much of the romantic side of things. Er, does that count as a spoiler? As a side note, to the very few of you who have sent me fan art (I have fans! SQUEEEE!) THANK YOU SO MUCH. It is so, so, so beautiful. Anyways, ladies and gentlemen, I give you – chapter five! Enjoy! Love you all xx Scarlet

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"_Look..." she murmurs in his ear, one hand clutching his, the other pointing out at the sea that stretches on for miles. It's tough to see the water because it's dark, but the tiny twinkling stars dotted across the night sky provide just enough light. _

"_God, you have got to be the most incredible architect in the world..." he replies, his eyes wide in awe. He turns to face her, "...and the most beautiful." _

_She chuckles lightly, "you want some crackers with that cheese?" He mocks offense, letting go of her hand and touching his chest with it. _

"_Well fine then, I take it back!" he jokes, "you're just a no-name, and you're kind of ugly too." _

_She grabs his hand and gives him a kiss on the cheek. _

"_Good, cause I'm not too fond of you either." _

_She tugs him towards the edge of the water. Closing her eyes, she thinks quickly and feels a cold rush whoosh by. When she opens them, the entire ocean has turned to ice and there are skates on her feet. _

"_Oh my god," Arthur breathes, laughing slightly, "let's go, come with me!" _

_And they're skating. They're gliding across the ice, she can feel the wind against her bare arms and she can feel him beside her. They're spinning and twirling and dancing and kissing. They're in love. _

Now that they had finally accepted their feelings for one another, Ariadne and Arthur had committed to a relationship... kind of. Under Ariadne's advice, they had decided to keep it a secret from Cobb and the rest of the team. During the workday they worked and researched and did everything they were supposed to, it was tough for Ariadne to act professional around him when all she could think about was the next time she would be kissing him, but it was necessary.

During the nights, however, they would dream. Together. Waiting until after midnight, they would stow away in the dark for hours on end. Sometimes, they would just sit under the chandelier in Ariadne's engine room, kissing and drinking red wine. But most nights, Ariadne would let her mind take her and Arthur someplace extraordinary, someplace weird and wonderful.

It was the night before they were supposed to board Fischer's plane. They were spending it at Ariadne's. It was after midnight, they were sitting at her kitchen table. They had decided not to dream tonight, but instead to spend it as a normal couple might. He had taken her out for dinner, the fanciest place in town. The portions were tiny but the food was delicious, and they had laughed when she dropped a piece of snow crab meat and left a large butter-y stain on her dark red dress. It was silent in her house, they didn't have much to say. Each of them were lost in their own thoughts about what might, or might not happen the following day.

Ariadne was nervous, she wanted to live up to her reputation and she was hoping with all of her heart that her projects were good enough. She didn't know what to expect, but she didn't exactly want to know.

Arthur knew what to expect, but he couldn't stop a nagging fear that the inception wouldn't go as planned. They were prepared, of course they were, but in the dream there were all sorts of things you can't expect.

"Have I ever told you about my Father?" he said, inhaling and exhaling slowly. She shook her head, "He...was an alcoholic. A hard, hard alcoholic." She didn't say anything, just waited for him to explain, "...I've never told anybody this because I've always been so ashamed."

"Don't be."

"I can't not be, Ariadne, it's impossible. It was _so hard _for me to watch my Father spiral downwards like that. He let everything he had worked for in his entire life slip from his grasp, all because of the alcohol..." he trailed off, his eyes stinging with tears. She moved from her seat and came to sit on his lap, hugging him tightly.

"My parents..." she began, not meeting his gaze, "...they divorced when I was fourteen. She tried to escape, she tried to run away but he found her...he found us..." she took a shaky breath, "...that's why I've been so scared of these feelings, I've seen how it can go wrong..."

He kissed her then, simple and quick. It escalated quickly, and before either of them could fully comprehend what was happening they were moving to the bedroom. He was carrying her, his strong arms were wrapped around her tightly, his lips on her neck. She dipped her head backwards, letting a long sigh escape her lips.

Her heartbeat was accelerating quickly. She was in the here, in the now, but she was also in the future. They were holding each other and wanting and knowing and hoping all at once, they were underneath every part of the moment, rendering it timeless. No audience, no tension, no pressure to succeed. There are only bodies and thoughts and murmurs and looks. They wrapped together seamlessly, every inch of her body fitting to his without fault. It's the adrenaline rush to end all adrenaline rushes, because this was what mattered.

When her heart was racing, this was what it was racing towards...


	6. A Green Sweater Stained Red

AN: Bonjour, my lovelies. I am back with another chapter of this story. This, my darlings, is not my proudest moment but I needed to get this chapter out because it may be a good few days before I update again as I'm going on a little trip. It was a bit tough writing this part because I'll admit, I have only seen the film once and the details are hard to get right every single time, but I did my best. Also, try listening to the song Blue and Red by Sky Sailing, it has a dreamy theme about it and I think it matches up beautifully with the entire Ariadne/Arthur ship. Let me know what you think! xx Scarlet

* * *

She was nervous. Arthur could see it in the way she held herself that morning, the way she simply nodded or shook her head, never uttering the words. Her hand was gripping the totem with such force that the skin in her hand was turning white; her fingernails were leaving indents in the wood.

"We're going to be okay, right?" she asked him in the car as they drove to the airport, "we're going to be okay."

He didn't respond, which probably worried her more then he'd like but he couldn't lie to her and tell her they were. He wasn't even sure himself that Cobb had everything under control, but he'd tried as hard as he could to push that thought to the very back of his mind.

They met Cobb, Eames, and Saito at the airport and were whisked through security efficiently. Minutes before boarding the aircraft, Cobb ushered them to a corner and explained hurriedly, for one last time, the task at hand.

"We're going to have to be as quick and efficient as possible; it's unknown as to how much time we may have on our hands. Remember, we're dealing with multiple layers of the subconscious here, so we have _got _to stay on task."

Arthur felt Cobb grab his arm. "Do you have the pill?" he snarled into his ear. Arthur nodded curtly and in a moments time they were ushered onto the aircraft by a pretty blonde stewardess. Once aboard the plane, Arthur took a seat two rows down from Fischer, behind Cobb and beside Ariadne.

The cabin was large and roomy, with creamy leather seats. The mesh holder in front of him was stocked with magazines like Italian Vogue, Esquire, and Time. He pretended to absently flip through one while sneaking glances at Ariadne. She looked scared, she looked terrified, actually. She was leaning against the window, her cheek leaving a mark in the frost. The bright morning light shone through her window at him, making him squint at his magazine.

_We're going to be okay, right? _

-x-

Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has now turned the seatbelt sign on...

Oh god. She doesn't know if she's ready for this. She wants to back down.

We request at this time that you put any tables up, magazines or other personal belongings in the pouch in front of you, and any carry-on luggage under the seat before you.

Please no. She wants to tap Cobb on the shoulder, tell him she's out. Maybe she could ask the stewardess, from the way she's been looking at Cobb they obviously already know each other.

So, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy your flight. Please refrain from using the restrooms or getting out of your seat until the captain has turned the seatbelt sign off. Thank you, and thanks for flying wi...

She can't even hear it anymore. She hates flying, especially in these circumstances. She can see Arthur beside her, looking calm and collected. God, if she could only sit beside him, hold his hand. She knew he would know how to calm her, he'd know just what to whisper in her ear to stop the erratic beat of her heart.

The plane was now on the runway, standing by. She took a sharp breath in, then out, then in, then out. It began to roll forwards, slowly at first, but gaining speed quickly until the view outside was nothing but a blur of color and she was pushed back into her seat.

She shut her eyes tightly and kept them shut as the plane's wheels left the runway, her body instantly tilted upwards. She didn't open them until the plane was thousands of feet in the air and they were no longer tilting upwards.

-x-

Arthur watched from behind as Dom tapped Fischer on the shoulder,

"Excuse me, sir; I think there's been some kind of mix up. They gave me your passport."

"Oh... yes, well, thank you."

"I, er, couldn't help but notic..."

Dom and Fischer had engaged in conversation. Arthur slid a hand into his pocket, the cool fabric of his pristine black pants felt nice against his skin. He felt his fingers run over the tiny box that held the sleeping pill, next to his loaded die. Why was he so nervous? They had done this a million times before.

He studied Fischer. He was only middle-aged, but his face was weathered. Deep lines and wrinkles that told stories of regret and worry and stress. He imagined life had to be hard for Robert, especially considering all of the research he'd done.

It wasn't long before Dom turned around and whispered urgently that he needed the pill. Arthur removed it from its box and placed it in Dom's hand. He watched Dom drop it into the tiny plastic cup of water and give it a little shake before handing it to Fischer.

-x-

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Cobb was shouting, gesturing wildly with his hands. The blonde stewardess was rushing into the cabin, struggling with the heavy machinery, "let's go, everybody. We've got no time to waste."

Six hands reached towards the machine, each grabbing a wire. Once they were connected, Cobb gave them one last, pleading, threatening look.

"This is it."

He pressed the button and they were instantly transported into Fischer's dream. Arthur felt as though he had been holding in his breath and he was finally his lungs deflate. It would have been relaxing, had he not been about to attempt the most challenging task he had ever been handed in his life. They were driving in a van, Cobb behind the wheel, Ariadne beside him in the passenger seat. Arthur sat directly in the middle, uncomfortably close to Saito and just plain uncomfortable next to Eames.

"Where are we headed?" Cobb demanded, looking at Ariadne. He'd startled her, and she was frantically looking around, her eyes big and wild.

"T..there should be a hotel! It's really big, all brassy and it's on the corner of the street, you can't miss it!" she pleaded with Cobb. Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat, turning to peer out the window. The sidewalk was crowded with their projections. The backseat windows of the van were tinted, but he felt a bit uneasy knowing that the projections could full well see Ariadne through her window.

Arthur, Eames, and Saito stayed quiet while Cobb cursed under his breath and Ariadne gave him hurried directions. The van swerved through the streets, weaving in and out of traffic. They could hear shouting and honking, screeching and the chatter from the concerned projections that swarmed the sidewalk.

"Over there!" Ariadne shouted, pointing to a magnificently tall, bronze-coloured building on the corner. As she did, Arthur felt a lurch in his stomach when he noticed the projections whip their heads around to look curiously at the van.

With a violent turn of the steering wheel, the van jolts sideways into the parking lot of the hotel, narrowing missing a stone median. Cobb rips the keys out of the ignition and is sliding out of the car door in a matter of seconds, the others quickly following behind him.

As they're dashing into the entrance of the hotel, Arthur glances back at the pedestrians who had stared at Ariadne through the car window. Ariadne's behind him, she can't hold the pace of the men. He makes eye contact with a pretty young woman with red hair who's staring at him intently from across the street. She breaks it only for a moment, to fish around for something in her purse. He turns back to catch up to Cobb and the others but the air is shattered by the sound of a gunshot.

"STAY LOW!" Cobb's voice breaks as he shouts.

They're rushing through the hotel doors now, clambering up the staircase. Arthur holds the door open for Ariadne as she rushes through to safety, but the sleeve of her dark green cardigan gets snagged. She gives it a good tug and it rips the material...but she's a moment too late.

Three more gunshots ring out. One of them hits the glass above the door, and millions of tiny iridescent pieces all to the ground. She screams and it pierces him right in the chest. He's grabbing her sweater, tugging her by the sleeve towards safety... but he's a moment too late.

She heaves forward as the second bullet hits her on her right shoulder, crying out in anguish as the third pierces her just underneath the previous one. Her eyes clamp shut and she's falling towards the ground, her limbs splayed out like a helpless doll.

Arthur watches as the green material of her sweater is stained red before his eyes. He feels dizzy, and he's got no idea where Cobb and the others are by now but he can't leave her. The projections are coming; he can hear their footsteps approaching quickly on the pavement outside. He's choking back tears as he picks her up and runs as best he can, one on the small of her back, the other on the back of her head.

-x-

She opens her eyes. She can see Arthur, they're moving. Quickly. He's crying, and she can see he's frustrated. It breaks her heart to see him this way. He's looking down at her and then back behind him and down at her again. She closes her eyes.

They're open again. Her vision's starting to blur but she can make out the shapes of Cobb and Arthur. She can hear screaming but she can't comprehend what they're saying. Her eyes drift shut.

This time, when she opens her eyes she doesn't see anything at all.


	7. Crystallized

AN: Hello everybody, I'm back from my trip! We had to cut it short because of bad weather, and while I'm a girl who loves a good thunderstorm every once in a while, it sucks. That being said, I am super excited to post my next chapter to this fic. I literally cannot believe the response to this fic. It hasn't even been a week and I'm nearing 6,500 hits. Thank you all so so so so much, I know I say that in every AN but I really mean it. Every single review is amazing and appreciated, I love that you love this story. So by all means, please enjoy this next chapter. I sure enjoyed writing it. Love always, xx Scarlet

* * *

"For fucks sake, Dom, just _look _at her!"

Cobb's eyes flashed, he was pressing his lips together so tightly they were starting to turn white. He looked Arthur directly in the eye, chilling him to the core.

"We have a job to do. I've told you, people get hurt. We've seen it. We've _done it _for god's sake. I don't get what the fuck makes her so special?"

"No, Dom, you don't underst-"

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT I UNDERSTAND," Dom snarled, his voice echoing off of the walls. He broke his eye contact with Arthur for a split second before taking a step closer. His face was so close to Arthur's that he could feel Dom's breath on his upper lip, "you work for me, so you will listen to me and you will do what I say. Is that clear?"

Arthur glared back with defiance. He turned around to glance at Ariadne. Eames, Saito, and the rest of the team were surrounding her. He could hear only small bits of their conversation. _Lost forever... unresponsive... it's a shame she's so young.. _

He turned around to face Cobb once more. There was a heavy pause in the air.

"Yes, sir."

-x-

Arthur's mind was blank. He could focus only on the task ahead of him and nothing else. He was in the elevator, tying them up and keeping them guarded from the projections.

_A slash of red paint across a canvas. One strike, you're out. _

He's got her with him, he might not be able to stand the sight of her like this but being without her is not an option, it's unfathomable. His eyes are glassy, he can't concentrate. He knows what he needs to do but he cannot bring himself to do it. It's tearing him apart, piece by piece. Like a paper crane ripped apart by a man sitting at a desk, once something so beautiful and pure was slowly being taken away from him, piece by piece disappearing without a single sound.

His heart is going a thousand miles a minute. He's remembering her face, her eyes, the way it feels to kiss her. He shuts his eyes with force, hearing the blood rush to his ears. He remembers something Dom once told him.

"It's like being trapped in a perfect world. You're a mime in a glass box, you can see everything around you. You can feel it and touch it and sense it, but it's not real. You can pretend as _hard _as you want but it's not the same. It's not reality. They say there's a thin line between dreams and reality? They're liars, all of them. When you're trapped like that, there is not a single fucking thing I wouldn't give..." he had said, he had trailed off then, looking out the window. That had been his most vulnerable moment, a rare instant where he had unveiled the layer of aggression and pain that surrounded him and shown, for a millisecond, the man who was still grieving the loss of his wife.

He looks back at her but it's too painful. He's already crying, his eyes are red and swollen, but he doesn't care. Nothing can save him now, but he's suffocating. He's torturing himself by remembering the way she smells like clean laundry and lavendar, the way her paisly scarf falls gracefully to the ground when she unties it and let's it drop to the floor in his bedroom, how soft her skin feels against his hands.

He remembers Cobb again, thinking of how long they had worked together. How persistent he had been on taking this job.

"Don't you want to take a leap of faith? Or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone!"

He's glancing back at Ariadne. His mind is spinning but there's no hope for him now, he's let his heart take over. He's not even thinking as his hands find the machinery and he grabs a cord. He's risking everything. The job, his wealth, his _life. _But he doesn't care. He's powerless. He's possessed. Possessed by a deep power within him that's emerging from somewhere he's hidden from everybody for a long time. Everybody but a pretty young girl, with a scarf around her neck and big, bright eyes that look up at him so helplessly.

_A halved pomegranate on a plate. Pick it up, squeeze it as hard as you can just to feel the juice run through your fingers and drip on to the floor. Two strikes, you're dead. _

He's picturing the Engine Room, because he knows that's where she'll be. He's trying to remember every detail, every sparkling countertop. The image in his mind unfolds slowly until it's so real he can almost feel it. And then he's falling, he's spinning and falling and there's no going back.

He lands on the ground, hard. He's in pain but he's numb to it. The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes is red. Red paper. It's surrounding him. He hasn't gotten it right, he's not in the Engine Room. A tear dribbles down his cheek and lands with a drop on the ground. He feels moisture, he's laying in a pool of red. By now he's crying fully. He's too late, the clock has collided with reality and there's nothing he can do now.

He clambers to a standing position, and his body nearly collapses as it gives a heave of relief when he sees the black walls, the circular windows, that mesmerizing chandelier. He looks down at his feet, there's a thin layer of something red, something liquid, on the ground. It splashes against his feet, but it smells kind of sweet. It's not blood, it's not blood. The red paper is the thousands of paper cranes. Here once more, they are stained with red. Not the liquid, but instead splotches of blood red paint. He picks one up and it flutters out of his hand.

He watches it fly towards the chandelier. It stops directly under it, iridescent in the pale yellow light. He watches it pirouette through the air and drop. His eyes follow it all the way to the ground and his heart gives a great leap as he watches a pale arm extend to catch it.

He's running, he's gliding across the floor towards her. Tears are pouring down his face and he's moving at the speed of light.

And he's falling, he's spinning, she's out of his reach. He's trying as hard as he can to hold on but he can feel the kick pulling him back, pushing him up and over. He screams as loud as he can but the sound is lost.

She's crystallized. A beautiful image danging high above the boundaries of time, of love, of feelings, of passion. She's forever lost, a speck of dust suspended on a sunbeam.

_Three strikes, you're crazy. _


	8. The World Spins Madly On

A slash of red paint against a canvas. His hand is gripping the paintbrush with force, his knuckles are raw and pink. His eyes are half shut. Another slash of paint, he doesn't care that it's getting all over his walls. He likes the way it looks, a bright flash of red on a pristine white wall.

A halved pomegranate on a plate. It's four 'o clock in the morning and he can't seem to bring himself to eat it. Instead, he grabs it and squeezes it as hard as he can just to feel the juice run through his fingers and drop onto the cracked white plate and the laminate floors.

He's still trying but he's starting to weaken, he's still asking himself the same questions he asked six months ago and there's still no answers. What had caused the kick? Why had it have to come at that exact moment?

It's painful for him to imagine her trapped. Dead but still somehow alive. It's taking all he has to stop himself from attempting to join her but he doesn't want to dream again. He's too scared, too fragile.

And so all he is left with are his own creations. Thousands of paper cranes, hundreds of wishes but none of them are going to come true. Paintings, sketches, broken pencils. Canvas showing two people huddled together in a storehouse, or kissing under a chandelier while paper cranes rain down from up above, or holding hands and skating over the ocean. It sickens him to look at them but he can't stop.

They are his portraits. Portraits of a pretty young girl with a paisley scarf tied 'round her neck and big, bright eyes that used to look up at him so helplessly.

Portraits of an illusionist.

* * *

AN: Scarlet here, hello all! I'm sorry this final chapter (yes, final chapter) was so lame and I understand if you are all disappointed but I just, I'm kind of tiring of this story. It's not that I don't LOVE Inception, I do. Oh god, I do. And I love this couple as well, it's just, I don't feel like I have any more to contribute to this storyline and I hope you guys understand that. I do hope you're not all bitter about the not-so-happy ending, but hey, not every story can end with a happily ever after, right? That being said, I'm still inspired and I do hope to write more fan fiction in the future, but this is it for this story (for now.)

I would _love _to hear what you guys thought, if it sucked, it it was awesome, favourite chapter etc, it all makes me happy to read and even flames are greatly appreciated. So please, make me the happiest girl in the world and send me a private message or email me (just my pen name exactly how it's written and then ) or just review!

To end this, I'd just like to once again thank everybody who has read this entire story and alerted and favorited and reviewed, I've been on Fanfiction for a bit over two weeks and you have all been so kind and spectacular in helping me get set up on the site and supporting my work and this story. So thank you very very very much, and I hope to see some amazing fics out of all of you soon! And on an ending note, AriadnexArthur forever!


	9. Do We Stay or Do We Go?

Bonjour, my lovelies!

My deepest apologies if this got your hopes up for a new chapter, however a shiny new story may (key word: may) be in the works! I was thinking of possibly continuing this story, I have a few ideas for the plot line and I do think it could be great. I am a busy little Scarlet so things might not be as constantly updated but I am inspired, oh, I am inspired to write more and this story keeps haunting me in a good way. Each time I see the movie or think about Arthur and Ariadne I fall in love with them all over again. Any and all possible feedback is greatly appreciated, and I will honestly be basing whether or not this continues off of your response!

Leave your ideas or response as a review or message me personally. Once again, I love you all and can't wait to hear from you guys.

xx


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